It's A Small World
by aynat
Summary: NO LONGER UPDATED
1. What About Tom Bombadil?

**It's A Small World**

**Author:** drakefn  
**Author's E-mail:** drakefn@getwithme.com  
**Disclaimer:** Some are mine, most aren't. *sigh* Would be nice if they'd give me Luke though, or would at least share him...  
**Spoliers:** I began writing this after In the Clamor and the Clangor so anything until that episode (4.11) is fair game to be mentioned in this story, along with things from upcoming episodes possibly. (I will make a note to any future spoliers at the beginning of the chapter.) Also, spoilers to The Lord of the Rings... both book & movie.  
**Author Note:** Please review. I have this real bad habit of not finishing fics (see portfolio) if I don't recieve enough feedback... good or bad! Also, I would really like to give this story a better title. If you can think of one please e-mail me.  


* * *

Rory Gilmore was studying with her back against a tree. It was a special spot, her spot. The sun shinned down perfectly at most times of the day, the tree fit her back perfectly, and it was a quiet spot - usually.  
"No you're wrong," Rory heard a girl yell, making her jump. "The point of The Lord of the Rings is...."  
"There is no point to The Lord of the Rings," a guy interrupted. "It was just a fairy tale Tolkein cooked up to keep his kids entertained in the fifties. Now movie producers want to keep everyone entertained with it, so yes they changed it a bit."  
Rory, along with many other students, gathered around the two arguing. The guy was tall, at least six foot, with dark, wavy hair. He wore a letter jacket that made it obvious he was a jock in high school. The girl had shoulder length auburn hair, and was dressed very casually, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Rory's eyes were drawn downwards however, and she noticed the girl was wearing cowboy boots. Looking back up she couldn't help but feel she'd seen this girl somewhere before.  
"I'm not upset about them changing it _a bit_," the girl continued. "But there is a point behind the book. When the hobbits go back to the Shire in the book, Saruman had taken over. There's another war, it's not simply happy ever after when the ring is destroyed."  
"So what's the point?" the guy asked.  
Rory couldn't help herself, and answered the question before the girl could even open her mouth. "The point is, when the source of evil is destroyed evil still lingers."  
"Exactly," the girl said, smiling when she noticed Rory had shrunk back, blushing. "Think about it Jason. Tolkein wrote the book around the end of World War II, when Hitler died. It's not like everything became happy ever after immediatly after that happened, or even to this day. The source of some evil was killed, and yet his hatred lingered... it still lingers to this day."  
"So you think they should have tried to show all of this in the movie?" The guy, obviously named Jason, replied. "The movie all together is already ten hours long, and you wanted them to show all that?"  
The girl shrugged. "I don't know, but it just didn't sit right to have a happily ever after ending like that."  
"But it didn't," Jason argued. "Frodo, Bilbo, Gandalf, Gimli, and the elves all left Middle-Earth. That wasn't happy, everyone was crying in the theatre. Heck, even I was crying."  
The girl laughed. "Sure you were," she retorted. "But that's not what I mean. There's more behind them leaving Middle Earth then they put into the movie. All they did that for was to give a sense of closure to the movie.  
"Look," the girl continued. "It's still my favourite movie, I just think it's missing a lot of what the book had to offer."  
"Like Tom Bombadil!" someone from the crowd shouted. The girl laughed.  
"Exactly. I was so mad when they didn't include Tom," she said. "He was such a great character. Can't really blame them for leaving _him_ out though."  
Jason shook his head. "Whatever. Look, I've got to get to class, we'll argue this later," he said as he leaned in and kissed the girl. Then he bent down and picked up his books before sprinting off towards the Old Campus.  
"Thanks for joining in," the girl said to Rory as the crowd began to disperse.  
Rory laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt but I couldn't help it."  
"Nonsense," the girl said. "It's always great when people join in on conversations like that. I wish more people around here would do that."  
"I'm Sara," she said, holding out her hand. Rory shook it. "Have I seen you around before?"  
Rory shrugged. "I don't know, but you do look familiar."  
Sara smiled. "One of those faces you know?"  
Rory laughed. "Maybe that's it. Oh, I'm Rory by the way."  
"Well Rory, would you happen to know where to get a good cup of coffee?" Sara asked. "I'm still not really used to the area, I just transfered this semester so it's all new."  
Rory nodded. "I know all the good places, and the not so good. I don't know my way around perfectly yet, by any means, but I'd be happy to show you around a bit if you like."  
Sara smiled. "That would be fantastic." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper, then a pen from her back pocket. "I need to get going right now. How about you give me your number and I phone you sometime?"  
Rory nodded and gave her the digits. "Thanks," Sara said and she put the paper back in her pocket. "Now, any chance you can point me towards the bus depot?"  
"If you take the number three bus it'll drop you off right at it," Rory told her. "Where are you trying to get?"  
"Stars Hollow," Sara replied. "It's some small town around here."  
Rory laughed. "I know," she told her. "I'm on my way there, it's my hometown."  
"No kidding? Small world," Sara said.  
Rory nodded. "Would you like a ride in?"  
"I don't want to be any trouble," Sara replied.  
"No trouble," Rory told her. "I hate making the drive on my own. Besides, I can take you to Luke's when we get there, that's truly the best coffee."  
Sara smiled. "You won me over with the coffee." Both girls laughed. "I need to take my guitar though," Sara said, pointing towards a case leaning against a tree. "You got enough room?"  
Rory smiled. "We'll manage it." 


	2. It Can't Be

"Hey Luke, can I get two cups of coffee?" Rory asked as she stepped into the diner.  
"Two?" Luke asked as he pulled the cups out from under the counter.  
"Sure, two," Lorelai, Rory's mother, said from her seat at the counter. "I've taught my daughter well."  
Rory laughed. "Actually, I have a friend from school with me," she said as she took as seat beside her mother. "We met today while she was arguing Lord of the Rings with her boyfriend."  
"'Cause every relationship needs to get their beliefs on Tolkein out in the open," Lorelai said.  
"Of course," Rory replied. "Anyways, she needed to come to Stars Hollow to talk to, of all people, Taylor."  
"Taylor?" Luke asked. "Why would anyone come in from out of town to see him?"  
"Said he's offered her a gig," Rory replied. Seeing the confused look on their faces she explained. "She's a musician, and Taylor has offered her a gig at the Soda Shop tomorrow. I guess he's got something going on."  
"What?" Luke asked. "He never told me anything about a gig. I don't want this music disturbing my customers, or worse, me."  
"Relax Luke," Rory said. "It's just her and her guitar, and from what she said in the car, she's not into loud and obnoxious. She just wants to sing."  
"What?" Luke asked.  
Rory looked at him, confused. "Huh?"  
"What does she like to sing?" Luke replied.  
"Country I think," Rory replied.  
Luke sighed. "And this is a friend of yours?"  
Rory nodded. "And she seems really excited about finding a gig so quickly around here," she added.  
"What do you mean around here?" Lorelai asked.  
"She transfered to Yale this semester from her previous university somewhere in Canada," Rory told her.  
Luke drew his lips together in a firm line. "OK, she can do this, but if she's no good I'm going to pull the plug on it."  
"When did I ever ask you if she could do this gig?" Rory asked. "But thank you Luke," she added before Luke could respond.  


* * *

"Well young lady, you're very talented," Taylor told Sara as she was putting her guitar back into the case. "The jobs yours. Be at the Soda Shop tomorrow at seven."  
"In the morning?" Sara asked, looking up.  
"Yes, of course in the morning. Is there a problem?"  
Sara shook her head and whispered, "No, I'll be here. Thank you sir."  
Taylor smiled. "Good. Say do you know any Loretta Lynn?"  
"Yes sir," Sara told him. "I know nearly every song she's ever recorded."  
"Very good," Taylor said as Sara picked up the guitar. "You're gonna do great tomorrow."  


* * *

"Rory, I got the gig," Sara said as the bells above the door announced her arrival at Luke's.  
"That's terrific," Rory said as Sara took a seat beside her. Leaning back so Sara could see Lorelai, she introduced the two. "Sara, this is my mom Lorelai, mom this is Sara."  
Lorelai smiled. "I've heard so much about you."  
Sara laughed and took a sip of her coffee. "Oh my goodness, this is good coffee."  
"Well, Luke makes the best," Lorelai said as she took a sip of her own.  
"Speaking of Luke, where did he disappear to?" Rory asked.  
"Who knows," Lorelai replied. "That man should become the next Houdini."  
"I know you're talking about me," Luke said as he came down the stairs. "So stop it."  
Rory nodded towards him as he came towards them. "This is Luke, Luke this is..."  
"Sara," Luke whispered, stopping dead in his tracks. There was a split second of silence and then a loud bang from the kitchen.  
"Sorry," the cook called out. "I'll clean it up."  
Luke didn't reply. He was still staring at Sara. "It can't be," Sara whispered as she stood up.  
Luke tried to smile, but failed. "I can't believe you're here," he said.  
Sara's eyes were red. "Me either," she said as she ran out the door."  
Lorelai looked up at Luke. "Hey, what was that?" she asked.  
Swaying a little, Luke leaned forward on the counter to steady himself. "That's someone I know from a long time ago," he told her.  
"She's too young to be an ex..." Lorelai started, but interrupted.  
"I knew her long before she was old enough to look at guys that way," Luke told her. Turning to Rory he asked, "Did you say she was at a university in Canada?"  
Rory nodded. "BC I think," she told him. "Look, I should go after her."  
Luke nodded. "You should, she needs a friend." 


	3. Wrong Number

As Rory got up and left Lorelai stood and went to Luke, guiding him towards a chair to sit down. "Luke, what is going on? You look as though you've seen a ghost."  
Luke forced a laugh. "Practically. I didn't know whether she was dead or alive."  
"Look Luke," Lorelai said, sitting down beside him. "I know you don't like sharing much, but I think maybe now you should."  
Luke shrugged. "There isn't much to share. I knew her once, and we lost touch. That's all."  
"You nearly hit the floor when you saw her, that can't be all there is," Lorelai said. "How did you know her? Were you a friend of her parents?"  
Luke shook his head. "No, I never met them. I just helped her out a couple times."  
"Helped her out how? How long ago did you know her?"  
"I don't want to talk about it," Luke said, standing up.  
"But Luke."  
"No," Luke said. "It's my biggest regret in life, and if I could go back and stop it now I would, but I can't, so just drop it."  
"Stop what?" Lorelai asked.  
Luke shook his head. "Honestly, you don't want to know," he said as he went back upstairs.  


* * *

"Sara wait," Rory shouted as she ran after her friend. Sara stopped and turned. "What was that?" Rory asked when she'd caught up.  
Sara sat down on the bench she'd stopped in front, and looked up at Rory. Tears were streaming down her face. "He used to be a friend of mine."  
"Luke?" Rory said. "He mentioned he knew you long ago, before I came after you. Knew you how?"  
Wiping the tears off her cheek Sara laughed. "Yeah, he knew me. He saved my life."  
Rory looked at her friend confused, and sat down on the bench beside her. "What do you mean he saved your life?"  
"Saved my life. You know, kept me on the living side of things," Sara snapped.  
"Oh," Rory said, looking down. Sara sighed.  
"Look, I don't mean to be rude. It's just, it hurts to think about that time," Sara said.  
"I understand," Rory told her. "Why don't you come back to my house?"  
Sara shook her head. "I don't want to be a burden."  
"You won't be," Rory told her. "There's never enough people at the Gilmore house."  
"Well, I do need to be at the Soda Shop at seven," Sara said.  
"There you go," Rory said. "It makes sense to stay with us here in town then."  
Sara looked up and nodded. "And we won't ask you any questions about Luke," Rory assured her. "You can tell us if and when you're ready."  
Sara smiled. "I knew I liked you." 

* * *

_ Luke was sitting on the steps of his apartment building when he saw her. She couldn't be more than six years old. Her hair was blonde, and she was wearing a dirty lace dress that seemed too small for her. Running up the sidewalk she glanced over her shoulder and lost her footing and fell. Pulling her knees up to her chin she put her head down and began to cry.  
Luke walked over. "Hey little one," he said, squatting down to be closer to her height. He noticed a cut on her knee. "Looks like a pretty bad scrape you've got there. I live right here," he pointed towards the apartment. "Why don't you come upstairs and I'll clean that for you."  
"Grandma told me to never go with strangers," the young girl said, not looking up. "She said that's how little girls get taken."  
"Well, my name's Luke, what's yours?"  
"Sara," she told him.  
"Well Sara, we're no longer strangers now," Luke said. "Why don't you just come inside the lobby here? I'll go upstairs and get a cloth to wash that cut on your knee."  
Sara nodded so Luke put his hand under her arm to help her up. When she stood her noticed a bruise on her face that certainly didn't come from any fall. "Sara, did someone hit you?" he asked.  
"I was a bad girl," Sara whispered.  
Luke stopped and knelt down in front of her. "What do you mean you were a bad girl?"  
"Daddy said I shouldn't have changed the channel because he was watching the football game," she told him.  
Luke nodded as though he understood and stood back up. He lead her to the lobby and asked the doorman to watch her as he ran upstairs. He quickly returned with a wet cloth and some bandaids.  
Kneeling down in front of where Sara was sitting he smiled at her and he gently brushed the hair off her cheek. "My, aren't you a pretty girl," he told her as he placed the cloth on her knee. Sara squirmed.  
"I know it hurts," Luke said. "But when I'm done I promise your knee will feel better. Do you trust me?"  
Sara looked up, he brown eyes wide. She nodded so Luke began rubbing the dirt and blood off her knee. He then applied a bandaid. "There doesn't that feel better?" Luke asked. Sara nodded. "Do you live around here Sara?"  
"My daddy does," Sara told him. "I'm visiting him for the weekend."  
"Do you know you're mom's phone number?" Luke asked. Sara shook her head.  
"I don't know my mom at all," she told him.  
"Who do you usually live with?"  
"My grandma," she told him. "Her number is 555-4398."  
"OK. Can you be a good girl and sit here while I go call your grandmother?" Sara nodded so Luke stood and went to the front desk.  
"Hey Luke," John, the doorman said. "Quite the mark on her face. Reckon we should call Children Services?"  
Luke looked over his shoulder at Sara then back at John. He shook his head. "She gave me her grandmother's number. I'll just make sure I let her know what happened, I'm sure she'll take care of it."  
"If that little girl has ever gone to her grandmother's with marks like that, I'm sure the grandmother knows," John said.  
"She may not want to see it, but she can't ignore it when she's told the truth," Luke said. "Can I use your phone?" John passed it to him and watched as Luke dialed the number._

Luke sat up in bed. He was breathing hard and was drenched in sweat. Laying back he stared at the ceiling and whispered, "I made the wrong call." 


	4. Memories Not Forgotten

"So Sara, you play guitar?" Lorelai asked. She and Rory were seated on the couch while Sara was on the floor with her back to a chair. They'd ordered pizza and two large boxes now covered the coffee table.  
Sara nodded. "Yeah. Music was always my escape when I was younger and when I was 12 a friend of mine..." she trailed off and her eyes got watery again. "Luke actually, he bought me a guitar and a book to teach myself."  
"Really? Wow, so you've been playing for six years now?" Lorelai asked.  
"Yeah, every night. I think I drove my foster parents insane, but they paid for lessons and bought me this guitar when I outgrew the one from Luke, so I guess they believed in me."  
"I'm sure they did," Lorelai said as she stood up. "I need another Coke."  
"Get me one to please mom," Rory said.  
Lorelai nodded. "Sara, would you like one."  
Sara smiled. "That would be great, thank you."  
As she was headed towards the kitchen the phone rang. It was right beside her so Lorelai picked it up. "Hello?"  
"Hey Lorelai, it's Luke."  
"Hey, are you ok?"  
"Why wouldn't I be?"  
"You sound like you've just run the Boston Marathon."  
"Listen, can I come over, I think I should tell you what's going on."  
"No, I don't think that would be a very good idea.  
"Why not? Is she there?"  
"Yes. How about I talk to you tomorrow?"  
"No, Lorelai please. Can you come here?"  
"It's so late."  
"Please. I'll put on a pot of coffee."  
"OK, I'll be there shortly."  
"Thanks Lorelai."  
"Don't mention it."  
Hanging up Lorelai turned towards the girls. "I need to go out for a while, will you to be alright?"  
Sara nodded. "What's up mom?" Rory asked.  
"Oh, um, Sookie needs me," she said as she went into the kitchen. Coming out she had a coke in each hand and her purse slung over her shoulder. Handing a soda to each of the girls she said, "Don't stay up too late, remember Sara needs to be at the Soda Shop at seven."  
"We won't mom. Say hi to Sookie for me," Rory said.  
"Huh?" Lorelai asked. "Oh, Sookie, yeah, I will. Bye."  
As the door shut behind Lorelai Sara turned to Rory. "She's going to Luke's isn't she?"  
Rory shrugged. "I don't know."  
"She really didn't need to lie. I have nothing to hide, it's just hard to talk about," Sara said.  
"Have you ever thought that talking about it might help?" Rory asked. Sara began to laugh. "What's so funny?" Rory asked.  
"Luke said the exact same thing to me once," Sara told her. Standing and sitting on the chair she opened her Coke and looked over at Rory. "I met Luke when I was six years old. It was in New York City," she said, taking a sip of her pop.  
"I was running up the sidewalk, away from my dad. He'd hit me, I can't remember why now. I was used to being hit by him, but this time was different. He seemed really angry like he wasn't going to stop hitting me. I fell down near Luke and started crying. He came over and did his best to comfort me. He took me inside and put a bandaid on my knee and called my grandmother. Then he sat with me and waited until she came to pick me up.  
"He smiled when I began to sing 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow'. Said I had a pretty voice. When my grandmother got there he told her what my father had done and waited for her to reassure him she'd take care of it. Only when she did did he let go of my hand. He gave me his phone number though, and said if I was ever in trouble to call him."  
"So that's what you meant by saving your life?" Rory asked. "He saved you from your father?" Sara shook her head.  
"No," she said. "Though grandma had told Luke she'd keep me away from my dad, she never did. My dad, though he'd still hit me, never got into that kind of a rage again. I practically forgot about Luke until I was twelve years old.  
"I got my period when I was at my dad's, and when he found out he said it was time I became a woman." Sara paused and wiped tears away from where they'd fallen on her cheek. "He did some awful things to me that night, things I don't want to remember but just can't forget."  
Rory moved to the edge of the couch nearest Sara and gently touched her hand so she looked up. "I am so sorry," she said. "If you don't want to continue I understand."  
Sara forced a smile and shook her head. "It's ok. Anyways, when he was done what he was doing, I grabbed my box of treasures and ran away," Sara went on.  
"It was this cigar box I'd found when I was little," Sara told her. "I found it when I was about five. I kept every thing important in it. Pictures of me and my grandma, letters I'd recieved from her on her trip to Florida once, things like that. I'd also started puting pills in it, any pill I could get my hands on.  
"I went to my favourite spot down near the river that night and made up my mind to kill myself. When I opened the box to pull out the pills the first thing I grabbed was Luke's number. I just stared at it, and then I went over to the phone booth near by. I didn't think the number would still work even, but I had two quarters so I decided to try it.  
"Sure enough, it didn't work," Sara said. "It did however give a new number for the owner, so I used my last quarter to call it. It was almost one in the morning so I knew if it was Luke, I'd be waking him up. When he answered I knew it was his voice right away. I didn't think he would remember me, but when I told him who I was he did. I told him what had happened and what I was doing. He said he was hours away, but he was going to get help for me. Just before I hung up he said 'baseball'. I was confused but he said it again and told me not to forget it.  
"About twenty minutes later a police officer arrived. Being twelve, and alone in New York City I didn't want to trust anyone, even a cop. He knew my name though, and when he said baseball I realized he was the help Luke was going to send. I went with him to the police station.  
"A couple of detectives asked me questions about what my dad did. A social worker came in and asked about my grandmother, and if I had any other family members. I heard her mention to the police that I would have to go to a foster home. I was so scared," Sara said, tears falling freely down her cheek. "About two hours after I arrived at the police station though, they brought Luke in. He'd left right after calling the police to come to me. He sat with me all through the night, gave me a shoulder to cry on and sleep on.  
"When I woke up in the morning Luke was gone and I thought that I'd just been abandoned by someone else. He came back though. He'd gone and bought me the guitar and book I told you about. Said he remembered that I had such a pretty voice and thought I should know how to play guitar.  
"When the social worker came and told me it was time to go Luke gave me his address and asked me to write him, to let him know how everything was going. He promised to write back, but he never did. Not once did I recieve a letter from him," Sara said, looking up at Rory. "I wrote him every week for over a year, and didn't recieve so much as a postcard."  
"Luke doesn't seem like the letter type," Rory said. At the look on Sara's face she apologized. "I'm sorry, not a time to joke. Really though, I'm sure there's an explanation, maybe you should talk to Luke."  
Sara shook her head. "What good would that be? My life is completely upside down now, even Luke can't help me. I just don't need anything else that could break my heart, it's been through enough." 


	5. Taking The Blame

_ "Sara, listen, just remember it ok - baseball," Luke said. "I'll get help there quickly."  
After hanging up Luke quickly got dressed, grabbed his truck keys and ran out the door. He couldn't believe this was happening. Sara... he barely remembered her. He didn't even think he'd recognize her when he saw her.  
On the drive he kept the radio off, he needed to think. Rarely did he see oncoming headlights, and there was nothing but darkness in his rearview mirror. He didn't care, he needed to get there now. "I can't believe she still had my number," Luke said to the darkness. "I can't believe this happened, it's all my fault."  
His back was aching and his eyelids were heavy, but he wouldn't slow down. She'd phoned him, and he promised her he'd always come to help her if she needed him. "What was it about her?" Luke asked himself as he turned off the interstate. He sighed as he thought back to that day. "Probably that song," he told himself. "Even at six she had quite a voice. I wonder if she still sings...."_  


* * *

"Luke, wake up," he heard Lorelai say as she shook his arm. Lifting his head he felt something stuck to his cheek. Reaching up he took the piece of paper and folded it back up.  
Lorelai sat down at the table he was seated at. The was a large box full of what appeared to be letters on a chair at Luke's side. "What's that?" she asked.  
"Letter's I recieved from Sara years ago, and letters I sent her," Luke replied.  
"Letter's you sent her? She sent them back?"  
Luke shook his head. "Her foster parents did," he told her. "Said it didn't look right to have a man more than twice her age writing to her. She never even knew I'd written."  
"How do you know?" Lorelai asked.  
"Because she always asked me why I hadn't written in her letters," Luke said. "They came every week for about a year, then every month, then occasionally, if something big happened. They stopped all together about three years ago."  
Picking up some of the envelopes Lorelai looked at Luke. "Doesn't look like you stopped writing her though."  
"No, I never did," Luke told her. "I'm not really a praying man as you know, but I wrote her every week. It was kind of my prayer I think. Everytime I wrote a letter I'd think about her and hope she was alright."  
Lorelai nodded, placing the letters back in the box. "So, what do you want to tell me Luke?" she asked.  
"It's not what I want to tell you," Luke said. "It's what I need to tell somebody."  
"OK," Lorelai said. "Well, whatever it is, you know you can tell..." she trailed off when she noticed how red Luke's eyes had become. "Luke, what is it?"  
"Sara... she was raped because of me," Luke said, not looking up from his hands.  
Lorelai closed her eyes, thinking this must be a nightmare. Opening them and finding herself still in Luke's Diner, she looked at him. "What do you mean?"  
"I made the wrong call Lorelai," he said. "I could have stopped years of pain in that girls life, but I trusted a little old lady when I shouldn't have."  
"Luke, this is beginning to sound really absurd," Lorelai said. "You need to start from the beginning, explain it all."  


* * *

When Luke had finished the story he sat back, and for the first time, looked up at Lorelai. "You see, if I'd phoned Children Services instead, none of that would have happened."  
"Luke, that wasn't your fault," Lorelai said, placing her hand over his on the table. "You couldn't have known what was going to happen."  
"But I should have played it safe and called," Luke said. "I never should have relied on trust."  
"Luke, do you really think that girl blames you?" Lorelai asked. Luke laughed.  
"You saw the way she ran out of her," he said. "I'd say she does."  
Lorelai shook her head. "She's probably upset because she thinks you didn't write. You need to talk to her."  
"But I..." Luke began, but Lorelai interrupted.  
"No buts Luke Danes. She is going to be at the soda shop at seven tomorrow morning, go talk to her."  
Luke looked skeptical, but nodded. "Thanks for coming over Lorelai."  
She nodded. "Anytime. Say, have you told Nicole about Sara."  
Luke shook his head, then shot up. "Oh no, Nicole. I was supposed to meet her for dinner hours ago, I'd better phone her."  
"I'm going to go," Lorelai said. "I'll see you tomorrow." Luke waved goodbye as he began to speak to Nicole on the other end of the phone. 


	6. Somewhere Over The Rainbow

**Disclaimer:** I obviously do **not** own Somewhere Over The Rainbow nor _The Wizard of Oz_ for that matter. It belongs to Harold Arlen and EY "Yip" Harburg. Please don't sue, there's nothing in my pocket except a piece of lint.  


* * *

Sara took a deep breath as she sat down on the stool and cradled her guitar on her knee. So many times she'd performed, and yet this time seemed different. She shook her head, why should it be different? Just because she'd seen Luke recently? No, this performance would be like all the rest. Sure she was nervous now, but like always she'd lose herself in her music when she began to play.  
She looked out at the small crowd of people at Taylor's Soda Shoppe. It was about noon but she'd been there since seven in the morning as Taylor wanted to make sure she had all the songs he wanted her to perform perfected. Sara closed her eyes, but it didn't work. Everyone who was waiting to hear her sing knew Luke, and that made this performance different. She opened her eyes again, cleared her throat and began to sing the same song that began every one of her performances:  


_Somewhere over the rainbow  
Way up high  
There's a land that I heard of  
Once in a lullaby  
Somewhere over the rainbow  
Skies are blue  
And the dreams that you dare to dream  
Really do come true  
Some day I'll wish upon a star  
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me  
Where troubles melt like lemondrops  
Away above the chimney tops  
That's where you'll find me  
Somewhere over the rainbow  
Bluebirds fly  
Birds fly over the rainbow  
Why then, oh why can't I?  
Some day I'll wish upon a star  
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me  
Where troubles melt like lemondrops  
Away above the chimney tops  
That's where you'll find me  
Somewhere over the rainbow  
Bluebirds fly  
Birds fly over the rainbow  
Why then, oh why can't I?  
If happy little bluebirds fly  
Beyond the rainbow  
Why, oh why can't I?_

  
Luke shook his head when he'd finished singing... when had he started? He looked around the small room, not very comforting to a child. He knew that the police had to question her, but he still felt it was wrong to keep Sara at the police station. He looked down at Sara who was asleep with her head on his shoulder. She really was a beautiful young girl. How could her father, or anyone for that matter, take advantage of such a precious thing?  
Thinking back to the day that little girl scraped her knee right in front of him Luke smiled. Growing up his mother used to always sing 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' to him, and when Sara had began to sing it memories of that flooded back. He'd forgotten it was a child singing then, it didn't matter. She was good.  
Luke gently slipped his arm out from around Sara and stood up. He stretched slightly and quietly opened the door and went into the hall.  
"How is she?" and older woman asked coming towards Luke.  
"She's asleep," he told her. She nodded.  
"Good, the poor thing is probably exhausted," she said. "Mr. Danes, just what is your relationship with Sara?"  
Luke shrugged and slowly let his breath out. "I met her when she was six, she scrapped her knee running from her dad," he told her. The woman looked at him questionally. "Look, I know I should have called you guys but her grandmother told me she'd keep her away from her father, I had no idea this was going to happen."  
"It's not you fault," the woman told him. "But since the grandmother hasn't done anything to stop this from happening, I guess the child will have to go into foster care."  
"I can take her," Luke said without hesitation.  
"Are you a licensed foster parent Mr. Danes?" the woman asked. Luke slumped against the wall.  
"No," he said in a barely audible whisper.  
"I'm sorry," the woman said. "But unless you're licensed or a family member, we can not give you custody." Luke slowly nodded then looked up.  
"I want to go get her a gift," he said. "Will she still be here in about an hour?" The woman nodded.  
"Unfortunately, I think she will be," she told him. Luke smiled.  
"Do me a favour?" he asked. "Go sit with her, and don't let her know where I've gone, but make sure she knows I'm coming back."  


* * *

"Luke, are you ok?" Luke blinked and looked at the man standing in front of him.  
"What do you want Taylor?" he asked.  
"Nothing," Taylor said shrugging. "But what is wrong with you?"  
Luke sighed. "Leave me alone."  
Taylor looked at Luke. "There's tears in your eyes," he said. "What is wrong with you."  
"Nothing," Luke told him, glancing towards Sara. He was standing in the shadows in the corner where she couldn't see him. "She's just really good." Taylor looked skeptical.  
"Yeah, she is," he said before walking away to monitor some children playing near the chocolate.  
When Sara finished and the crowd around her began to disperse she stood and pulled her guitar case towards her. Kneeling she began to put her things away.  
"So, can I have you autograph?" Sara looked up.  
"Just leave me alone Luke," she said. Luke shook his head.  
"I think we need to talk," he told her.  
"About what?" she asked, standing up. "You helped me out once, you promised to write and then you broke that promise. No big deal, everyone in my life breaks their promises."  
"What are you talking about?" Luke asked. Sara looked at him.  
"You told me you'd write," she said. "You said to just write you a letter with my new address and you'd write back. But you never did."  
Luke sighed. "I did Sara," he told her. Sara laughed.  
"Don't lie to me Luke," she said. "I'm a big girl now, all grown up." Luke nodded.  
"I can see that,' he said. "But I really did write. Come to the diner and I'll prove it to you." Sara shook her head."  
"I should get back to school," she said.  
"Please," Luke said, touching her hand to get her to look at him. "Sara, it'll just take a second." She sighed and finally nodded.  
"Alright, but I don't have much time." 


	7. I Tried

_ Dear Luke,  
Thank you for caring so much about Sara. However, it does not  
look very good to have a man in his thirties writing letters to a young  
girl, as I am sure you can agree. This package has all the letters you  
have sent to Sara. Please do not send anymore. Her life here is good, she  
does not need your help anymore.  
Sincerely,  
Darlene & James Helms_  


* * *

Sara looked up when she'd finished reading the letter. Reaching into the box in front of her she pulled out a handfull of envelopes. "You really did write," she whispered. Luke nodded.  
"I'm not much of a letter writer," he said. "But I always keep my promises."  
Skimming over some of the letters, Sara looked up. "They really weren't that bad."  
"What?" Luke asked.  
"Darlene and James," she said. "They were good people, but they wanted everything to be proper."  
Luke nodded. "I'm glad to hear that," he said. "I was worried when I realized you hadn't gotten any of my letters."  
Sara smiled. "But you kept writing," she said, looking at the date on the letter in her hand. Luke shrugged.  
"Never stopped," he told her. "I just stopped sending them. I hoped I could give them to you one day."  
Sara sighed as she put the letters back into the box. "What's wrong?" Luke asked. She looked up.  
"I'm just trying to understand my life," she said quietly. "It seems everyone in my life hurts me. Then there was you," she said smiling and wiping a tear away. "You were the one person who managed to make me smile, even when you weren't around."  
"What do you mean?" he asked.  
"When ever I wrote you a letter about what was happening in my life I was always happy," Sara told him. "I guess it's what some girls feel writing in a diary or journal.  
"But look at my life now," Sara continued. "Everything is a mess. I can't stay in one place, I struggle to make ends meet, I seem to hook up with guys who are just like my father." Luke looked up.  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"Any guy I get involved with always takes advantage of me," Sara told him. "They're controlling, or abusive, whatever. I've never been with a good guy."  
"Rory said you were arguing with you boyfriend yesterday," Luke said.  
Sara nodded. "Yeah, I was. Jason and I only met about a month ago, not quite enough time to know if he'll be like the rest. There's always a honeymoon type period, and then I do something that pisses the guy off," Sara explained.  
Luke shook his head. "Sara, no one should treat you like that."  
"I know Luke," Sara assured him. "I always find the assholes, but I always get out of the relationships to. I never give a guy a second chance like I did my father... on hit and I'm out."  
Luke looked at Sara for a moment. "I'm glad to hear _that_, but there has to be a reason why you always choose bad guys to begin with."  
Sara laughed. "I'm sure there is," she told him. "That's why I'm studying psychology."  
"Psychology? Really?" Luke asked. "I figured you would have gone into music."  
Sara shrugged. "Music is my life, it's the only thing that has always been there for me," she told him. "I just don't want anyone telling me what I should and shouldn't sing and play, that's why I quit guitar lessons a couple years ago."  
Luke nodded. "I can understand what you're saying, you want to remain who are. I respect that."  
Sara smiled. "Thanks," she said. "I should be getting back to school." Luke nodded and stood up.  
"Oh, ok," he said. "You um, you'll come back right?"  
Sara nodded. "Of course, but it might be a while," she told him.  
Luke nodded slowly. "Alright," he slowly said. Sara put her hand on his arm.  
"Luke, I will come back," Sara said. "I just don't think I'll have money for the bus for a while. Here though," she said reaching towards the cash register for a pen. "My number, feel free to call and catch up." Luke smiled and took the piece of paper. He then ripped the paper in two and taking the pen wrote on the piece without her number. He handed it back to her.  
"That's my numbers," he said. "First one is my personal number, second is the number at my other place, and the third is the diner here. You'll probably usually catch me at the last one."  
Sara smiled. "Thanks Luke." 


	8. Talking Can Help

_"Luke, I don't want to tell them," Sara said, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Why do they keep asking me those questions?"  
Luke sighed. "Well Sara, they need to know exactly what happened so they can help you," he told her.  
"But I don't want to talk about it."  
"Have you ever thought talking about it might help?" Luke asked. Sara looked up.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, some people find that talking about bad things with someone they trust makes them feel better," Luke told her.  
"But I have no one I can trust," Sara said, moving over to the table. Luke followed and sat across from her.  
"You can trust me," he said.  
Sara looked up. "Can I?" she asked. "When I woke up this morning I thought you had left me."  
"But I came back, didn't I?" Luke asked. Sara nodded.  
"Yeah, I suppose you did."  
"Wait a second," Luke said as he stood up and went out the door. He came back carrying a large rectangular box. "This is for you," he said, setting it down in front of her. "It's why I left."  
"What is it?" Sara asked.  
"Open it and find out," Luke said.  
Slowly ripping off the tape holding the box together Sara lifted the lid. She gasped. "It's a guitar." Luke nodded.  
"I remember how good you were when you sang for me that day," he told her. "I thought you should have a guitar, maybe you can take what you've been through and put it to music. I know that helps some people."  
Sara looked up. "I don't even know how to play guitar."  
"There's a book in there," Luke told her. "It's supposed to be the best book for teaching yourself to play. The guy at the store said even I could understand it, so it must be written fairly simple." Sara laughed.  
"Thank you so much," she said, standing and giving him a hug. Luke stood there for a second a little surprised, then wrapped his arms around her and hugged back.  
"You're very welcome," he whispered. "Just remember to thank me when you're rich and famous. Nothing special, just naming your first born Luke should do."_  
  
Sara sat up in bed breathing hard. She put her hand to her stomach. "Luke..." she whispered. "Not a bad name I suppose... if it's a boy." 


	9. Sent Away

"So, did you talk to Sara?" Lorelai asked as she walked into the diner. Luke looked up from the paper he was reading in front of him and smiled.  
"Yeah, I did. You were right, it was mostly the letters she was upset about," he said. Just then Nicole came into the room from the stairs behind Luke.  
"Luke, I still think you shouldn't trust this girl," she said, sitting down at the counter. Lorelai's mouth dropped.  
"What do you mean he shouldn't trust her?" she asked. "The girl has been through so much, I think Luke should make sure he's there for her."  
"And I think she's some teenager who's just looking for some money," Nicole said, picking at the pie Luke placed in front of her.  
"Guys cool it, would ya," he said, but Lorelai continued.  
"Have you even met Sara?" she asked. Nicole shook her head. "Well I have," she continued. "She's a very bright, very confused young girl. She's been through a lot, and from what I can tell, Luke is the only person who has ever really offered her help."  
"Well, she's a grown woman now," Nicole replied. "So she doesn't need Luke's help anymore."  
"You have to be kidding," Lorelai said as Luke motioned at her to stop. She didn't. "Can you imagine going through what that girl has gone through? It wouldn't matter if you were a kid, or if you were 30, you would still need someone you can trust to rely on."  
"And why should that be Luke?" Nicole asked.  
"Because it needs to be," Luke whispered. They both turned to face him.  
"What do you mean?" Nicole asked, standing.  
"I mean it's because of me what happened happened," he said. "But it's also because of me that she sings and plays guitar today, and that is so much of who she is now."  
"What has that got to do with anything?" Nicole asked.  
"Don't you get it?" Luke asked. "I helped make this beautiful young girl the person she is today, and I was barely in her life. I've never been one to believe in fate, or God really, but if I can effect her life like that, it tells me I'm supposed to help her."  
"Luke, how do you know it's even Sara?" Nicole asked. Before Luke could answer the bell above the door jingled. All three looked over.  
"Oh my God, Sara, what happened?" Luke asked, running over to the door. Sara's shirt was ripped and her right eye was black. Her bottom lip was swollen and bleeding, and she was holding her wrist.  
"Bad guy again," she whispered as she let Luke guide her to a chair.  
"Jason did this to you?" Luke asked. Sara nodded. "What happened?"  
"I told him he didn't need to do anything, I didn't expect anything from him, but he still flipped," Sara mumbled as she began to cry.  
"Slow down sweet heart," Lorelai said as she sat down across from her. Sara looked up.  
"I'm pregnant," Sara said after a moment of silence. "When I told Jason the first thing he demanded was that I get an abortion. I told him I wouldn't, but that I didn't expect anything from him. He didn't care, and he hit me."  
"You're pregnant?" Nicole asked, looking skeptical. "Do you plan on giving the baby up if you don't want an abortion?"  
Sara shook her head. "No," she whispered. "I can't imagine spending the rest of my life wondering where my first born child is."  
"Then how do you expect to support the child?"  
Luke looked up. "Nicole, stop it."  
"It's ok," Sara said. "I make a pretty good amount of money, but going to Yale that money is all used up for my education. I'll have to drop out of school, but I'll have enough money."  
"And what about emotional support?" Nicole asked. "Surely you don't think you can do this alone." Luke stood up.  
"OK Nicole, I think it's time you leave," he said as he grabbed Nicole's jacket and held open the door.  
"Excuse me?" Nicole asked. "You're picking her over me?"  
Luke laughed. "I'm not picking anything," Luke said. "But you are being completely insensitive right now, leave."  
Nicole grabbed her jacket and marched out the door. She turned to say something more, but Luke had already shut the door.  
"That wasn't necessary," Sara said as Luke went behind the counter and came back with a damp cloth. Her pulled a chair up beside her.  
"Yeah it was," Luke said as he gently began washing the blood off her face. Sara began to laugh.  
"What's so funny?" Lorelai asked.  
"This," Sara said, motioning towards Luke's hand on her face. "I distinctly remember him healing a nasty cut once before." Luke laughed.  
"So who was that woman, anyways?" Sara asked. Luke cleared his throat.  
"Uh, my wife," he said in a barely audible whisper.  
"What?" Sara asked, moving aside his hand to look at him. "Luke you shouldn't have done that."  
"Sara, listen... Nicole and I are... our relationship is...."  
"Complicated," Lorelai finished for him.  
"Exactly," Luke said as he began wiping the blood of her face again.  
"Still," Sara said. "You shouldn't have sent your wife out like that."  
Luke sighed. "Don't worry about it, she won't be my wife much longer anyways." 


	10. Eh?

**Author's Note:** I am not stereo-typing Canadians... I am one, and we really do say _Eh_!!  


* * *

Sara sat down against the wall and closed her eyes. Luke had said she could stay at his place tonight but she felt funny being there. Opening her eyes Sara looked around the small apartment and laughed. Everything in the apartment was exactly where it should be, not a single thing was out of order. She never thought of Luke as such a neat-freak before.  
Standing up she walked over to the other side of the apartment where a door was ajar. Opening it wider she realized it was just a closet and began to close it when something caught her eye. Reaching above her she pulled the cord to turn the light on. In front of her, leaning against the wall sat a guitar. "I didn't realize he played," she whispered, picking it up. As she did so something fell from between the strings. Leaning down she picked up the photograph that was lying face down.  
Turning it over she saw a woman holding what appeared to be the guitar Sara was holding now. Looking closely she felt there was something familiar about this woman.  
"My mother." Sara jumped when she heard a voice from behind her. Turning around she saw Luke.  
"I'm sorry," Sara said. "I didn't mean to snoop." Luke laughed.  
"Don't worry about it," Luke told her. "You didn't find anything incriminating, did you?" Sara shook her head.  
"All I saw was this beautiful guitar," she told him. "And this picture that was with it." Luke nodded.  
"The picture is, as I said, my mother," he told her. "The guitar was hers. I got after... after she died."  
"Oh Luke," Sara whispered. "I'm sorry."  
"Don't worry about it," Luke said. "It was a long time ago." He reached out and took the guitar.  
"You look a lot like your mother," Sara said. Luke gave her a skeptical look. "I mean, you're a man obviously, but you have the same eyes." Luke laughed.  
"You're not the first one to say I've got my mother in me." Looking down at the guitar he sighed. "Quite the compliment really, I don't deserve it."  
"She must have been a wonderful woman, eh?" Sara asked. Luke looked up.  
"Eh?" he repeated, trying to change the subject. "Rory said you were in Canada, picked up on the lingo huh?" Sara shrugged.  
"I guess I did," she said, walking over to the table and sitting down.  
"So what was Canada like?" Luke asked, taking a seat opposite her and leaning the guitar against the table. "I've always wanted to take a trip up there and go coast to coast."  
Sara looked at him and nodded. "That would be amazing," she said breathlessly. "It's so beautiful there. Especially where I was."  
"Where was that?" Luke asked.  
"Vancouver Island in BC," she told him. "Pretty much as far west as you can get in Canada. I attended a nice university there for a short time."  
"Why there?" Sara shrugged.  
"I wanted to get away from everything," she told him. "Darlene and James refused to talk to me because..." she trailed off.  
"Because of what?" Luke asked but Sara shook his head.  
"It's not important," she told him. "Anyways, I just broke up with yet another guy who was beating me and I had a bit of money saved. Figured my US dollar would go further in Canada so I took a chance and went there."  
"Why'd you come back to the States if that's why you left?" Luke asked.  
"Because running away didn't solve any problems," Sara said. "Besides, I got accepted to Yale, I wasn't about to let that opportunity slip by." Her eyes began to burn with tears and she looked down at her hands. "Guess it'll have to now though." Luke scooted his chair next to her and held out his arm. Collapsing against him Sara began to cry.  
"Sara, you don't have to tell me everything," Luke whispered. "But if you want to talk about this I'm here for you." Sara looked up into his face.  
"Why do you care about me?" Sara asked. Luke sighed.  
"Honestly?" he asked. She nodded. "Honestly I don't know," Luke told her. "The day I met you, I had to help you. You were a helpless six year-old who was bleeding, who wouldn't help you? Then when you were twelve... hell Sara you were gonna kill yourself, what was I supposed to do?"  
Sara looked at him a moment. "And now?" she asked. "Now I'm not so helpless, and my life isn't in danger."  
"But you still need someone," Luke said, then laughed. "You seem to be a lot like me, and I have trouble opening up to anyone. I figure it's not their business... but I also know how much it would help. If you're willing to open up to me then Sara I want to help you."  
Sara just sat there looking at him, not sure what to say. Finally Luke broke the silence. "How important is music to you?"  
"What?" Sara asked, a little taken back by the question.  
"How important is music to you?" Luke repeated. Sara slowly let out her breath and shrugged.  
"It's my life," she whispered. "I've always loved to sing, but the day you gave me that guitar was the day I realized how important it was to me. I put everything into my music. It gets me through the good and bad times." Luke nodded.  
"So the guitar played a part in it?" he asked. Sara nodded quickly.  
"It certainly did," she told him. "If you never gave me that guitar I can't imagine how I would have gotten through the last few years. And I definitely wouldn't be the person I am today," she added.  
"What do you mean?"  
"Growing up I would sing whatever I wanted to sing, but when I started to learn guitar I began to play mostly country," she told him. "Over time country was more than just a genre of music for me, it became a way of life. You understand yourself a little better when you're country. You understand God and life more to.  
"It's the one type of music that accepts everything. You can sing about the love of your life or you can sing about an abusive father, anything you want because country songs are about life. When I came to realize that, everything I have gone through became song after song, and not all of it was as sad as I thought it would have been. It made me realize that I have had things tough, but I wasn't as bad off as it could seem. That helped me later in life, when I felt like getting down on myself I'd just pull out my guitar and play whatever songs came to my head. I think in the end realizing that others could have it worst then me, and realizing what could get me through the hard times helped make me a better person." She looked up at Luke then to see his eyes were red. "Are you cry?" she asked. "Why?"  
He looked at her and smiled. "I helped make you that better person." 


End file.
